Cooling tuna

WP · 08-31-2002, 03:48 PM

A question for the panel: Is it better to use just crushed ice to cool albacore or add rock salt to create a brine in the cooler? It would seem that the cold brine/slush would cool faster and more efficiently. If brine is better, can you leave it in the brine until you return to port or would another cooler be the trick? Thanks in advance! WP

wak'm&stak'm · 08-31-2002, 06:22 PM

What we do is.....I have a 30 gal live tank in the stern and I fill it with crushed ice. I put a salt with it last time, but it didn't seem to matter.
I tried block but it just beat the fish up, washing around.
After a hour or so I put them in the floor box, and they stay nice and cool.....never had a quality problem yet.

OceanBlue · 08-31-2002, 07:40 PM

Pilar and I use sea water in a 50 gal tub with block ice. We used to use the crushed, but we burned through so much of it, we switched to the blocks. Coupla blocks in that tub with some seawater. Let the charlies cool until they're stiff (half hour to an hour) and then transfer them to the fishbox or a cooler with crushed ice packed all around them.

skein · 09-03-2002, 12:02 PM

Pilar's Mate,

That's a pretty hefty operation for quenching. I figure 50 gals of water is about 400 pounds, plus some ice. Then you add six or eight 25 lb torpedos, and suddenly you have 600+ pounds sloshing around in your boat.

Where do you place your quench tank, and how do you lash it down (if it's not built in)? I'm just curious because one of these days I'm going to step up to a boat that will take me "out there" and I don't want to get all geared up then think, "oh, yeah, I need a quench tank. Now where am I gonna put that.....?"

Skein

OceanBlue · 09-03-2002, 12:54 PM

Skein,

The "tank" is a rubbermaid tub. It gets filled with a couple of 5 gallon buckets and then the ice is added, so it is really only about half-full at any given time. We have it sitting just forward of the engine cover, once the auxilliary tank is empty and removed. It doesn't get lashed down. As of yet, it hasn't ever moved unless we really, really wanted it to

Getting around in the boat when it is loaded like that is definitely a challenge. We've got one of those "coffin-sized" coolers that just barely fits between the seats, another cooler & another rubbermaid storage bin under the bow. The fish box is set in the floor and for most trips it is sufficient... but not for tuna!

Definitely things to consider when planning a purchase. Room to fish, room to store fish and fuel capacity... Among others obviously. :grin:

[ 09-03-2002, 01:58 PM: Message edited by: Pilar's Mate ]